1. Field
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to the field of aircraft fuselage design and more particularly to a fuselage having substantially elliptical cross section and planform integrating available volume in wing to body aerodynamic fairings for additional payload volume.
2. Background
Use of composite structures in aircraft fuselages is allowing significant flexibility in design to accommodate alternative aerodynamic and structural configurations. Medium sized aircraft are widely used to carry at least 100 passengers and their baggage on flights usually of multiple hour duration, but are also often used for short flights between islands or congested metropolitan regions. Redesign of aircraft in this class to maximize passenger loading capability and provide desirable baggage compartment locations and accessibility while improving aerodynamic performance with reduced wetted area for fuel efficiency and cost savings is advantageous.
It is therefore desirable to provide a structural design for a medium sized aircraft fuselage having reduced wetted area with maximum volume.